Fire-escape.



v. 7 No. 790,001. v-, 4 PATENTED MAY 16, 1905. E. PERRY.

FIRE ESCAPE. A IOATIQN FILED m. 29. 1904.

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Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR PERRY, OF CARIBOU, MAINE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 790,001, dated May 16,1905. Application fil ed February 29, 1904. Serial No. 195,910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR PERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Caribou, in the county of Aroostook and State of Maine,

have invented a new and useful Fire-Escapef of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to devices for enabling persons to escape fromburning buildings, and

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of this'characterwherein the weight of the person descending thereby is utilized toautomatically regulate the tension,

and thus control the speed, while at the same I, time so under thecontrol of the occupant as to enable him to increase or decrease thespeed at will.

With these and other objects in view, which Will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the inventioncapable of carrying the same into practical operation, it beingunderstood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, asvarious changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of theparts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right istherefore reserved of making all the changes and modifications whichfairly fall within the scope of the invention and the claims madetherefor.

' In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig.2 is a front elevation of a portion of the improved device in section onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

In theimproved device is embraced a drum 10, upon which a cable 11ofsuflicient length to reach the ground from the point of descent iswound and witha terminal hook 12 or other means for attachment to aWindow-sill or other portion of the building.

The drum is rigidly mounted upon a shaft 13 and supported for rotationin a hangerframe 14, which is carried over the drum and provided with aguide-aperture for cable 11.

The shaft 13 is provided with a crank 15, by

Which-to wind the cable upon the drum.

The enlarged or flanged ends 16 17 of the drum 10 are provided Withannular peripheral channels, and disposed beneath the drum are two pairsof levers 18 19 and 20 21, united intermediately to a pivot-rod 22,thelevers 18 19 having curved ends engaging the peripheral channel at oneend from opposite sides and the levers 2O 21 having curved ends engagingthe channel at the other end of the drum from opposite sides. The lowerends 23 24. of the frame 14 are extended to also engage the rod'22. ,Thefree ends of the curved ends of the levers are flexibly unitedflas bylink-bolts 25 26, the link-bolts permitting a certain degree of movementbetween the parts without allowing them to slip from the flanged ends ofthe drum. 7 The curved ends are also united by springs 27 28 to exert aconstant yielding force upon the drum to produce an automaticbrake-pressure to prevent the fall of the apparatus when not loaded, ashereinafter explained. The longer extended ends of the pairs of leversare united by transverse bars or rounds 29 30, which serve the twofoldpurpose of means for uniting the spaced levers and likewise ashand-grips for the occupant of the device to control the tension, ashereinafter described. The longer arms of the lever members are providedwith spaced apertures 31 32 to provide means, vas by suitable hooks 3334, for the adjustable attachment of asuspension-harness 35 of anyapproved form. It will be obvious that by adjusting the hooks 33 34 inthe apertures 31 32 the leverage exerted upon the flanges 16 17 by theweight of the occupant of the harness 35 may be increased or decreased,as required.

The drum-levers maybe of any approved size and of suitable metal towithstand the strains to which theywill be subjected and the harness andcable be likewise of approved material and of suitable strength, thecable being preferably of metal in the ordinary form.

In using the device the hook 12 will be attached to a window-sill orother convenient stationary portion of the building, the harnessstrapped or otherwise secured to the person, and the occupant suspendedfrom the drum by merely climbing from the window and permitting theweight to bear upon the levers. This weight, as will be obvious, willexert a strong gripping force upon the drum and serve as a brake tocontrol the descent, which will generally be comparatively slow, and theoceupant will usually descend to the ground without the necessity fortouching or otherwise manipulating the device, especially if thesuspension members 33 3 1 are adjusted to the proper apertures 31 32, asabove noted. If, however, it is desired to increase the speed, theoperator can relieve the pressure and reduee the tension by merelypushing upward upon the members 29 30, and if, on the con- 7 trary, itis desired to reduce the speed of the descent or check the movemententirely a simple pull downward upon the same members will produce thedesired effect by increasing the brake action upon the drum.

It will thus be obvious that a very simplyconstructed easily applied andoperated device is produced,under the complete control of the occupantof the suspending-harness.

If desired, the harness 35 may be so constructed that the occupant eannot fall out, and when thus constructed timid or nervous persons may usethe device with perfect success, as it requires no manipulation by theoccupant while descending, the action being entirely automatic. Thuspersons who may be overcome by fear and who lose consciousness whiledepossessing all their faculties.

The suspension-frame 14 is an important feature ofthe invention, as bythis means the steadiness of the drum is materially increased and itsperfect control assured and the safety of the device correspondinglyincreased.

The device may be employed by sign-writers when placing signs upon largestructures or in otherwise inaccessible localities by painters ofsteeples and towers, in building and repairing bridges, stacks, tanks,and similar structures, and for many other similar purposes and will befound very convenient for use in such classes of work.

To increase the grip, the curved ends of the levers may be provided withleather, rubber, or other similar material where they engage the drum.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a deviceof the class described, a hangerframe, a drum-carrying shaft journaledin the same, a rod connecting the sides of the frame below said drum,brake-levers mounted pivotally upon said rod and havingoutwardly-extending arms and upwardly-extending curved ends engaging theflanges of the drum, and resilient yokes connecting the extremities ofsaid curved ends.

2. In a device of the class described, a hanger-frame,a rope-carryingdrum journaled in said frame, drum-engaging brake-levers fulerumed belowsaid drum, and resilient yokes connecting the extremities of thedrumengaging arms of said levers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR PERRY.

Witnesses:

C. C. KING, R. F. GARDNER

